Carousel Horse
1935/1942
Medium
watercolor, graphite, and pen and ink on paperboard
Dimensions
overall: 51.2 x 52 cm (20 3/16 x 20 1/2 in.) Original IAD Object: 46 1/2" long; 44 5/8" high
Classification
Index of American Design
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Index of American Design
Accession Number
1943.8.7731
Art Historical Context
Behold the vibrant *Carousel Horse* by Mina Lowry, a captivating 1935/1942 rendering from the Index of American Design. This detailed watercolor, graphite, and pen-and-ink work on paperboard (51.2 x 52 cm) meticulously captures a classic American carousel figure, originally measuring about 118 cm long and 113 cm high. Lowry's piece brings to life the whimsical spirit of these hand-carved wooden steeds, beloved fixtures of early 20th-century amusement parks and carnivals. Created during the Great Depression as part of the Federal Art Project's Index of American Design—a WPA initiative—Lowry's ...
About the Artist
Mina Lowry
Mina Lowry (1894–1942), an American artist born in Canada, emerged as a prominent portrait painter whose career bridged traditional portraiture and the documentation of American folk art. Immigrating to Buffalo, New York, with her family around 1901, she honed her skills early on, winning first prize for modeling at the Albright Art School and studying under the esteemed Florence J. Bach. Lowry fu...